What are some facts about stink bugs?

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Full-grown stink bugs are approximately 17 millimeters in length. The bugs are brown in color with light bands on their antennae. The technical name for stink bugs is Halyomorpha halys. The bugs are referred to as stink bugs due to scent glands located on their chests and abdomens that emit a foul odor.

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According to Orkin, stink bugs spray their scent to defend themselves against predators, and certain species are capable of spraying several inches away from their bodies. The bugs also emit their strong odor when they are squashed by a foot or sucked up by a vacuum. Stink bugs feed on plants, weeds, grasses, fruits, peppers, nuts and cotton. They often enter homes during the winter months and hide in attics and crawl spaces. When spring arrives, the bugs prepare to vacate and often gather on walls and windowsills.

Stink bugs are also referred to as cat-facing insects due to the fact that when they feed on orchard fruits, such as apples and peaches, their teeth leave a deep bite mark that eventually develops into a scar similar in appearance to the face of a cat. Stink bugs are dangerous to orchards. They damage fruit to the point that it cannot be sold, and they are also known to spread plant diseases. Stink bugs aren't considered harmful to humans and don't cause structural damage.